Newcastle United v Preston North End match banter!

Posted on February 20th, 2010 | 247 Comments |

The Magpies v The Lilywhites, the first ever League Champions.
The Magpies v The Lilywhites, the first ever League Champions.
Newcastle take on Preston North End in a somewhat rare Saturday 3pm kick-off today. I say somewhat rare as this will be only our 9th ‘conventional’ kick-off all season. Newcastle will no doubt be looking to add to the last 2 superb home results against Cardiff and Coventry with another positive result here today whilst Preston have reasons of their own to bounce back after their midweek defeat at Derby County.

Our very own bowburnmag will be in attendance today, no doubt getting all radged up in level 7 with his boys then off to get smashed afterwards, and a special mention for Whumpie who has informed us that he is making the 800 mile round trip from the deep south-west to St James’ Park today, I hope you enjoy your day out!

There will be no TV coverage of the game today unfortunately but if you do happen to stumble across some radio links, both for domestic and international listeners, the please feel free to post them in the ‘comments’ section.

As ever, this can be the place to come together during the match and p*ss and moan, as we usually do.

As of yet, there are no likely teams although it’s been reported from both camps that both teams have no new injury concerns and I’d be surprised if The Toon changed personnel from Wednesday night, although we will try to get confirmed teams up as soon as possible. If your looking for a bit more background then you can read my own match preview and read what Darren Ferguson’s thinks of his teams chances today.

As I’ve alluded to in the past, this is an important game, they all are at this stage of the season and slip up’s can be costly. Let’s just all hope we can continue our fantastic run of home form and grab another 3 points today.

Howay the lads!

Update: Team news.

Newcastle United: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Patrick van Aanholt, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith (c), Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Peter Lovenkrands, Andy Carroll
Subs: Tim Krul, Fitz Hall, Tamas Kadar, Nile Ranger, Leon Best, Ryan Taylor, Fabrice Pancrate.

NUFCBlog Author: toonsy toonsy has written 643 articles on this blog.

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Comment on this post

247 Responses

  1. Gutted – Routledge out with calf injury and Smith back in pushing Guthrie to the right – I smell trouble ahead

    NUFC: Steve Harper, Danny Simpson, Fabricio Coloccini, Patrick van Aanholt, Danny Guthrie, Alan Smith (c), Kevin Nolan, Jonas Gutierrez, Peter Lovenkrands, Andy Carroll
    Subs: Tim Krul, Fitz Hall, Tamas Kadar, Nile Ranger, Leon Best, Ryan Taylor, Fabrice Pancrate

  8. Bit of a p1ss take really for Guthrie. Puts in a cracker in centre mid midweek only to be farmed out onto the wing today.

  10. toonsy, agree but needs must, would you rather see Nolan or Smith there? i dont think so, Preston look like they are deploying five in midfield so i hope its not like the old Mike Reid telly programme, run around, go!

  11. bbb – How about Taylor who is a right winger? Pancrate? Jonas with Lover on the left?

    As much as I say fair play to Guthrie for trying, the fact is he is not a winger. He drifts inside looking for the ball far too often which will leave Simpason exposed this afternoon.

  14. Genuinely concerned that Routledge is unfit.

    This has the makings of last week……………

  15. Dave – On the plus side, with Smith, Nolan and their extra pounds in the middle it will be like having a 5 man midfield :lol:

    Smith or Nolan to score first then :lol:

  17. Apparantly Nolan was sighted at lunch time in Munchies at the Haymarket scoffing kebab meat and chips and washing it down with a litre of Panda Cola.

  25. Gutted about Routledge, just heard now. He’d have been full of confidence after his goal last outing and has looked our most dangerous attacking threat since arriving. Thats the balance on both flanks out the window then.
    Basically just gonna echo what you said RE Guthrie Toonsy. Feel canny sorry for him having played a blinder in the middle. Like you’ve said, he’ll put the effort in but he isnt a winger. He ends up naturally drifting inside when we go forward aswell which doesn’t help.
    Talking of Welbeck-is he on loan at PNE? I knew he’d went somewhere lower down the champ and was slightly confused. We’ll have to keep an eye on him, he knows where the net is.

  37. Wonder how we’ll do with Welbeck and Parkin up front actually. Because there’s fat footballers, and then there’s big John Parkin. The lad is massive.

  54. I was just about to moan that Smith was playing just behind the two strikers instead of Nolan. Fair enough we’ve knocked Nolan but he’s our top scorer this season, doesn’t make alot of sense when Smith hasnt scored in that, 3 years? However, Smith was involved in the fluke goal so whatever, haha.

  58. Hoping Arsenal to thrash the mackems tonight.hahahaas

    Bruce Job is unstable soon. hehehes

    :lol:

  62. toonsy-I dont mind Everton to be honest. I also hate Man u which helps. Fair play to them, they’ve done Chelsea and Man u inside a couple of weeks

  64. SJT – Teams I despise (apart from Sunderland)

    Hull (pr1ck of a manager)
    Spurs (although not as much nowadays)
    Forest (spat at in the face by one of their fans)

  68. Love Moyes to come to Newcastle….does a great job with hardly any backing,would be an ideal manager for Ashley :)

  70. Ross to be honest i would rather manure won today as I would rather see them win the EPL rather than chelski I cant stand chelski and their rampant rabbits :)

  71. Toonsy-true, forgot about that. Really hoping Boro manage to get something from WBA aswell. They’re again mentioning Guthrie drifting inside here, always inevitable when he’s playing out wide but apparently the two young PNE lads in the center of mid look completly runover anyway. 2-0 Barnsley.

  75. From Wallsend Toonsy born and bred…moved to birmingham bout 9 years ago but all my family still live in the north east.

  78. Loven off injured, Best on. That decision was made quickly, he went down and immediatly came off, obviously a nasty one.

  84. As i always say, obviously the wireless is slightly bias towards us, however they’re saying the referee has somehow missed some simple fouls.

  88. Ross says:
    February 20, 2010 at 3:18 pm

    “As i always say, obviously the wireless is slightly bias towards us,”

    I divven’t knaa Ross. Ando gets a bit radgie even when we’re winning sometimes.

  90. Worky-Aye, Ando is always canny funny when things arent going well. He can lose his rag pretty quickly, to the amusement of Mick Lowes which just makes the whole situation even better. They’re saying there’s shoulders and elbows going into the backs of Carroll and Best every time they jump for a ball though and they’re tending to be missed by the referee.

  91. reckon best will end up in reserves then shipped out – my cov mates were amazed we bought him – he’s decent championship class but thats as much potential as he has – suppose we’ll see, sounds like he’s missed another sitter today and to be honest I’d rather ranger was getting a chance

  96. Steve I agree , I cant see why we signed him! Anytime he has played for Ireland he looked poor

  101. I’m still on the fence regarding Best. He’s missed a few great chances so far but there’s always the chance that he’ll calm down pretty quickly after getting that first goal and he’ll go from there. He seems to have a far better touch than the likes of Carroll though and his hold up play looks canny.

  103. I can’t see Best lasting at the Toon-think he will be hounded out unless he starts looking the part.

  104. Well it really doesn’t sound like I’m missing much.

    I don’t think my mate will be talking to me after giving him my ticket for this putrid affair!

  106. I aint seen even slight flashes talent from Best….he may prove me wrong but I don’t think he will.

  110. Nile Ranger should be hounded out, if anyone. 2 goals in 28 appearance is pathetic. Why people keep defending him is beyond me.

    Yeah, he’s young but is no excuse for being a crap striker. Andy Carroll is only 2 years older and he can’t miss at the moment. Ranger is poor.

  113. We always play crap with Guthrie on a wing, as many have stated a few times he drift inside (all the time), we lose the side he’s playing on and that full back is constantly alone and exposed.

    I do think Guthrie is a decent/good player, if played in the centre that is – and imo he should be started in the middle for the time being.

  114. FSOTC-yeah, i think the jury is still out regarding Best for pretty much everyone. He’s shown signs of promise with his hold up play but at the same time I’m slightly nervous for him. We needed a goalscorer, extra fire power and he was brought in. People will expect him to get his first relatively soon because he’s keeping the likes of Nile Ranger out the team.

  115. Send Ranger on loan to the SPL. He’ll be on 30 goals for the season by the end of the afternoon.

  116. looks like we need to take nolan or smith off and play 2 wingers with gutheri in the middle ch should change while we are winning!it doesnt work he still does the same what a clown.

  118. Bobby just summed it up – We look predictable.

    We are just that and bar 2 or 3 games this season we’ve been like that all year.

    Suppose it’s only points that matter.

    God help us next year.

    Probably only 3 or 4 players who can play in PL.

  121. toonsy, isn’t that what everyone said about Robbie Keane?

    He isn’t exactly prolific at Celtic, so far. People underestimate the SPL. It’s an awkward league, if only for the conditions the pitches are.

    Ranger is not good enough to score 30 in two seasons nevermind one – SPL or in England.

  123. Wickywoowoo-When Ranger first broke into the team, for quite a while he was used as a target man. He played slightly deeper than the leading striker, held the ball up and fed others. His first touch is very good, his hold up play is very good and his reserve/international record shows he knows where the net is. He just needs time to learn his trade.

  125. Wickywoowoo – I know that mate, I was justing making an equally silly statemnet as your Ranger should be farmed out one.

  127. Ross – Add to that, it would be interesting if he had scored goals if he had the 2 wingers and the service Carrol has had in the past few weeks?

    Ranger had that service against Palace, and scored. When he had his games in the early part of the season we were scraping 1-0’s.

    Wickywoowoo, you need to compare like for like!

  130. Win 4-1, everyones great, next week draw 0-0 everyone is shite, next game win 3-0, Hughton manager of the month etc…..
    Fook me, Best has been here about 4 weeks and he’s been written off already, I hope he’s not the sensitive type, I’d like to see some on here having a go at managing a club, I’m sure it is a piece of piss like…

  131. @Toonsy: I did try sending ranger to dundee united of SPL,and to my surprise,he score an amazing 31 league goals in 25 appearances.

    Both Nile Ranger and Wesley Ngo Baheng is in my AC Milan team,and they do sucks. Selling them off in football Manager. :lol:

  133. FSOTC one pie wouldnt do him he would munch 3 or 4 easy
    atlast they have just mentioned Williamson who I think has been excellent and will make it in the prem

  134. I am not saying Ranger should be farmed out at all. I was just saying if we are to boot ANY striker, he would be the first choice for me. His stats are poor. I don’t want any to leave though.

    Like your suggestion though, a loan deal to the SPL would be great. It worked for Tim Krul. Maybe a lower level Championship team too.

    He should be loaned out to be able to find his goal scoring feet. He scored for fun in reserves so he has the ability – he just needs to do it in “proper” matches.

  135. Big Dave,

    That’s our style of play I’m afraid.

    We are the Wimbledon/Bolton/ of the 2010’s.

  137. Toonsy-exactly, i think it would be interesting to see Ranger in Carrolls position, with Guthrie down the middle, Jonas and Routledge out wide. I’m refusing to believe that he might not be good enough or might not be able to fulfill potential. He’s definitly a natural goalscorer and will eventually prove that. Has he started a run of like, 6/7/8 games on the trot since breaking into the team? I cant remember him being a regular name on the teamsheet week in week out for any period of time. He just needs to get into the team, stay there and get the service needed. I really believe he’d score goals.
    Obviously with Carroll scoring there’s no need to fix something that isn’t broken and now there’s so much competition for places he’s seemingly further down the pecking order, but hopefully he gets his chance and proves himself.

  140. big dave! your answer the clown CH who has got the balls to fu.k off smith and nolan for sake of the team we dont go up it will becasue of the clown.

  141. wickywoowoo – He needs to get the chances in the first team aswell, with people creating things for him.

    Stu @ 135 – Surely thats a good thing then? I mean, Bolton and Wimbledon both won trophies remember?

  142. BigDave – agree – radio saying Guthrie is toons best player yet again, you have to worry sometimes about hughtons selection and round holes square pegs etc

  147. Personally I don’t like a team having two or three different formations. I think the entire club should work to one formation, that way all the players know what position they play and what they can do.

    I appreciate the odd time formations do change but more often than not it cannot be stable team if one injury forces you to change the entire formation.

  148. asim – Rely on youth player with 15 games left? Or play Guthrie who has been our best player this afternoon?

    You decide? Who would you play instead?

  149. Stu – Aye, Bolton got beat by theboro didn’t they? It’s irrelavent, we are playing football and winning games. We haven’t even finished this game yet, I mean come on.

  151. toonsy says: asim – Rely on youth player with 15 games left? Or play Guthrie who has been our best player this afternoon?
    You decide? Who would you play instead?

    Thats easy drop Nolan or Smith play pancake on the right Guthrie in the mid :)

  153. gutheri in the middle not on the wing! why are teams running past are midfield becasue they are to slow to get back when nolan and smith play their thats my point if gutheri plays their he gets on the ball so the other teams seem less of the ball.

  154. Toonsy,

    I’ve accepted that the football we play is pretty poor stuff, but we keep winning and at this stage in our clubs live that is all that matters.

    I keep making the point though that we couldn’t play this type of football in the PL and expect to survive. Also I believe this is Hughton’s style – Nothing we can do about that though.

  156. Yeah, i start to feel like we are like Bolton

    But i dnt care just get promoted first, then slowly sort that out.

  157. Dave – Why? Has Pancrate been sensational and I’ve missed it? Or has Guthrie got on with and created and scored goals?

    For me it’s not an issue of dropping Nolan or Smith, it’s the fact that without Routledge, Guthrie may well be our best option out wide.

  158. asim – Who would you play on the wing? Pancrate who has been a big steaming pile of cack?

    Or like I say above, Guthrie who has probably been our best option out wide without Routledge?

  159. According to the wireless Guthrie isnt even playing on the wing anymore. He’s just playing in the middle and there’s nobody out wide on the right, they’re hoping Simpson will get forward down the flank. Bit strange like.

  160. Stu – Is there any evidence to suggest that teams that play as a team and play to their strengths cant survive in the PL?

    Bolton did it
    Stoke did it
    Birmingham are doing it
    Chelsea play ugly to scrape wins

    Compared to,

    Bolton, changed style of play now struggling
    Arsenal, pretty football but lose a lot
    Burnley, same
    Wolves, same
    Wigan, same

  166. Toonsy I have no probs with Nolan or Smith but not both when we are at home and we have Guthrie who is far better in the mid. As for Pancrate he has showed touchs of skill and he can play on the wing. and if you arnt keen on Pancrate you know who you can blame dont you.

    Get in there Fat lad :lol:

  167. it isnt about that its about shape doesnt matter if he is crap didnt he score a wonder goal and set up are last goal against cov

  171. Guthrie sounds like he’s had a great game again. Involved with that goal and they’re saying he’s the one taking the game by the scruff of the neck and trying to make things happen.

  180. Brain dead? It’s GUTHRIE not gutheri. Stones and glass houses and that.

    You basically justified Guthrie playing on the wing there, sorry. You ended your own argument.

  181. Dave – I still reckon it will be sub 50,000. A lot of the corporate seats will still be empty.

  182. toonsy, are you 5? you really let yoursefl down by hilighting someones spelling

    poor form fella

  183. Close call for Forest there, great save and then offside when the put the rebound in. Go Boro! :=)

  184. eastend – At the end of the day, being called brain dead ain’t nice. If people are inclined to insult one another then they should be prepared to recieve it.

  189. toonsy, agreed mate.. but fill your handbag with a retort full of bad spelling?

    pinch of salt my friend, take it all with a pinch of salt

  190. toonsy says:
    February 20, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    I think it’s about balance – It cannot be coincidence that every time Guthrie or indeed Barton plays right wing we put in really, really poor performances.

    I believe it’s because that they come inside and the midfield gets crowded and there’s no room to pass and move, so we have to hit it long.

    But it’s winning that counts this season, not performances. Will be the same next year to be fair but the difference is we won’t win games in the PL playing badly – Only the top teams do that.

  199. Bloody Forest!

    Don’t think we’ll shake them off too easy. We need to win our game in hand and then give em a good battering at our place.

  200. asim – Exactly mate, and banter is what makes it all great.

    Another goal would be nice, sounds like we have really bossed this half so far.

  203. Bloody forest and WBA just wont bugger off and let us get on with winning the league, shame on them.

  207. Leeds have just totally imploded since the Beckford transfer saga.

    Should have sold him I reckon. Tough shit!

  208. Don’t worry to much about Forest,we are 5 points ahead with a game in hand and they have to come to SJP.

    As long as we win at home and draw away, we will go up automatically i.e. 92 points.

  210. Toonsy Batty told me :lol:
    Waldo P. Barnstormer > Bloody forest and WBA just wont bugger off and let us get on with winning the league, shame on them.

    I dont think we need to worry about anyone else. We have the best team in the CCC and have promotion in our own hands ;)

  212. Yeah it is in our hands, just need to start playing properly away from home as its been shocking. Thats where our season will be sorted out.

  214. thats the problem dave… promotion in our hands. scares the s@%t outta me!

    we have to sort out our away form if we expect to walk this league

    its well known we know NUFC have a frog in their throats when it comes to getting a job done… its been the way for my 20-odd years of being a fan

  216. bonkers to think that this season we have only lost 6 games. bearly beat that with wins last year

  217. eastend toon The problem with our away form imo is that we never go out to win we allways play for a 0-0 with the hope of getting 1 longball, But I believe we are capable of beating any team

  223. Pancrap suddenly becomes a total new player. same situation,same player to score. same late time to win.

  224. haha, pretty much the same goal as the fourth against Cov midweek. They say Best has been falling over all afternoon. Maybe he’s got some dodgy boots or something,lol

  225. Nice to see Ryan Taylor get a bit of credit recently.

    Also, it seems Leon Best is a bit like Emile Heskey. He provides more than he scores. Shame Nile Ranger is the same type. Ugh.

  228. Good result happy days….still unsure of Best and think Beckford would have been slamming them in for fun :)

  231. the way i see it, we need 8-9 more wins to win the league.

    with only 6 more home games, were looking for at least 9 points from 8 away matches

    squeaky bum run in!

    sounds like an illness :)

  233. glad we kept a clean sheet , now i hope we can do something about our away form against watford . I would fancy our chances of another decent win against them if we pick an attacking lineup . Just hope Routledge and Lovenkrands recover quickly .

  235. The midfield was awful today apart from Gutierrez. Dire dreadful football for most of the time. Why Hughton continues to play Guthrie out wide instead of Taylor or Pancrate is beyond me. Three valuable points though.

  237. Big Dave i think we could very well be , When we beat teams 3-0 without getting into top gear then i dont think we have too much to worry about . :) Forest is imo the last hard game so long as the lads concentrate 100% and give their all in every game untill the end of the season .

  238. AXEL – Boro away aswell mate.

    Dave – Pancrate is a genius, everything I said about him earlier was to entice the assist for a goal :lol:

    worky – You tweeking is needed ;)

  240. I was very fortunate to get into the box today courtesy of a relative and have to say I was quite pleased with the performance as a whole.

    For me, Guthrie has looked out of depth on the wing recently and was unfortunate to be put there again after a solid performance in the middle against Coventry. However, he seemed to adapt qualities from his performance against Conventry and have a solid game on the wing – not blasting down the line, but a reliable and hard working display.

    Williamson in my opinion would be man of the match. Him and Coloccini showed a defensive partnership on the same wavelength and both read the game well. Williamson, for a relatively unknown quantity has shown his height doesn’t compromise his ability on the ball, and above all I like the composure he posseses, as he rarely wastes possesion.

    The players Hughton has brought in all play with a modesty and edge to prove something to the fans that they were worth it, a refreshing attitude compared to previous mercenaries seemingly all too comfortable once they’d got their millions out of the club.

    We may not be the prettiest team in the league, we might not be playing league destroying football week in, week out, but we’re winning enough games to see us out of the league – and that’s simply all we need this season. May the home game hammerings continue for our last 6!

  241. Excellent Post Andy.
    Williamson looks the part not sure about Leon Best though :)
    Anyone else think he is out of his depth?
    Wonder what his ratio is now one goal every 10 games?

  242. Andy is right, Williamson was a class act today.

    I know I shouldn complain as we won 3-0, but thats doesn’t tell the whole story of the game. There was no balance with only one true winger. Pancrate was only on about 5 mins and he set a goal up. When at home we need to attack with two wingers, away, pack the midfield, o for the draw and depending on the game, turn it round into attack.

    As for Best, he does need more time I know, but he just didn’t look up for it today. In fact would have been easier to score with that header where he put it over the bar. Got to feel for Ranger, scores in his last game and no chance since. Our forwards today after Lovenkrands went off just were not performing. Should have got the lad on when 2-0 up.

    But at the end of the day, another win, still got a game in hand and 3 more goals scored with a clean sheet.

  243. Out of his depth? To be fair SJT; Nolan, Smith, Guthrie, Enrique, Coloccini, Jonas and Raylor have all been suspected of being out of their depth at the club and came into criticism somewhere along the line. What’s benefited our team this season is not being in the media eye for the wrong reasons constantly and a togetherness brought by Hughton and a drive to get promotion. Best needs time to settle in and we have to understand it won’t be easy for him as a target striker ALONGSIDE another target striker. That’s why people like Lovenkrands, he’s got the pace and instinct to compliment a Carroll or Ameobi with his runs off the ball.

    Best, like Carroll and Ranger, clearly isn’t a prolific, scoring for fun striker – and is much the physical presence they too are. However, he does seem to possess pace and above all, if he can just work hard and keep his feet on the ground then he can win over fans. I like him to be honest, but i’m not a fan of him and Carroll playing together all the time – we need a quick fox in the box like ‘Krands alongside them.

  244. Another fantastic win for the Geordie powerhouse, that is Newcastle United, just too good for this league.
    Cant wait until we are thrashing the Chelsea`s and Man. U`s, next season.
    Oh wait a minute, forgot we got a salary cap and an age limit, ah! never mind we can still attract great youngsters and pay them shit wages, cant we ?
    We are about to become the Arsenal, that Arsenal never became, by doing it for nowt and with the fifty million from telly revenue, MA can soon get his dosh back.
    When he gets it all back he can always sell to one of those, more aggressive mid East nations, mentioned by Lee Ryder, but never actually named.
    As it would upset some of our left of center people if he were to sell to any Russian oligarcs or UAR oil rich
    but despicable (though Lee Ryder disagrees)Arabs
    It`s confusing I know !

  246. I go every week and come away disbeleiving with such an awful midfield how we win. Every team with the exception of Plymouth and Peterborough have been better than us in the central midfield. Smith was poor Guthrie no better.
    Nolan had one of his better ganes but collectively they were below average. It can only be two from three for future ganes. Pancrate should have been a straight replacement for Routledge.

  247. Hi Dave,A correction:You say Vitamix is so sure about their untcamhed durability on their machines, if at any time the best juicer needs repair, Vitamix will cover all parts and labor plus two-way shipping at no cost. This is NOT TRUE. I have an older Vitamix. The drive socket, which is designed to fail if the blade jams, failed through deterioration. Vitamix no longer produces the part. They will not even provide information to help me have the part custom made. It is a great product, but their loyalty to a long time user is not what you imply.